Thursday, August 2, 2018

Violence Slightly Down In Iraq July 2018

Violence took a dip in Iraq in July. Incidents were down in
the center of the country where the Islamic State is rebuilding. There was a
slight increase in attacks in Baghdad and Ninewa. Turkey’s operation against the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was also in its fourth month.

(Iraqi News)

There were 214 incidents reported in Iraq in July 2018. That
was down from 239 in June. Baghdad had the most incidents with 49 which was a
change. IS has not been as active there as it once was. The capital also led
the month because there was less violence in the center. Attacks were down from
June to July in Diyala (51 to 46), Kirkuk (56 to 37), and especially Salahaddin
(42 to 23). Incidents continued to decline in Anbar and Babil as well.

Security
Incidents In Iraq By Province June-July 2018

Province

June

July

Anbar

13

8

Babil

8

4

Baghdad

33

49

Basra

2

1

Diyala

51

46

Dohuk

-

1

Halabja

1

-

Irbil

3

6

Kirkuk

56

37

KRG

18

7

Muthanna

-

1

Najaf

-

1

Ninewa

12

29

Qadisiya

-

1

Salahaddin

42

23

Casualties
In Iraq By Province June-July 2018

Province

June

July

Anbar

11
(4 K, 7W)

33
(14 K, 19 W)

Babil

19
(6 K, 13 W)

5
(3 K, 2 W)

Baghdad

40
(18 K, 22 W)

69
(30 K, 39 W)

Basra

1
(1K)

-

Dhi Qar

-

-

Diyala

115
(41 K, 74 W)

63
(38 K, 25W)

Dohuk

-

2
(2 K)

Irbil

6
(6 K)

22
(18 K, 4 W)

Kirkuk

96
(35 K, 61 W)

118
(33 K, 85 W)

KRG

138
(137 K, 1 W)

30
(30 K)

Najaf

-

1
(1 K)

Ninewa

63
(57 K, 6 W)

87
(78 K, 9 W)

Salahaddin

99
(65 K, 34 W)

55
(20 K, 35 W)

There were 267 killed and 218 wounded in July. 45 bodies
were found during the month leaving 222 violent deaths. 51 were killed in
Kurdistan and southern Iraq. That meant there were 171 fatalities due to the
insurgency.

Anbar, Babil, Baghdad, and Ninewa used to be some of the
main centers of the insurgency. That has changed in the last few months. The
Islamic State has largely withdrawn from those areas.

Since November 2017, there has been less than one incident
per day in Anbar. Starting in 2018, there has been 0.5 incidents per day 6 out
of 7 months with an average of only 0.2 per day in July. While there are
continued reports of militants moving along the Syrian border they do not
appear to be operating in the province itself.

In the last half of 2017 it seemed like the militants were
moving back into Babil. There were more reports of infiltrations from Anbar,
and IEDs and shootings in the northwest became more common. That has completely
changed this year with violence only occurring sporadically.

Baghdad was the main terrorist target for the militants, but
again, that has fallen off this year. In January 2018 there was an average of
3.3 incidents per day. That has dropped to only around 1 per day from April to
July. Another change has been the lack of mass casualty bombings which used to
be a trademark of the governorate.

A similar situation is happening in Ninewa. From January to
March there was around 1 incident per day. From April to July there have only
been an average of 0.6. Like Anbar, IS is active along the Syrian border and
occasional clashes, but nothing major has happened there for quite some time.

The center is now where IS is most active. In July,
incidents in Diyala, Kirkuk, and Salahaddin were down from the month before, but
things have ebbed and flowed before. More importantly, the type of attacks show
they have expanded the scope of their operations. In all three provinces, the
militants are attempting to regain control of rural areas, tax the locals, and
intimidate and drive out the local security forces. In Diyala, there were 3 gun
battles with the ISF and 3 attacks upon towns during the month. In Kirkuk,
there was one shootout and a car bomb. That province is also different from
others because the insurgents still have access to Kirkuk city and carry out
regular attacks there. Finally, in Salahaddin, there was 1 confrontation with
the ISF, 1 attack upon a village, and a suicide bomber. The Iraqi forces have
been largely ineffective in countering this rebirth. During the month there
were 12 sweeps and 2 major operations in the 3 governorates. The Islamic State
simply moves out when the ISF moves in and then returns afterward. There is
also a decided lack of intelligence and consistent presence in the districts
where IS is operating in. This situation only bodes ill for the future.

Finally, Ankara’s campaign against the PKK continued in northern
Kurdistan. There was some talk that its forces were going to attack the Kurdish
headquarters in the Qandil Mountains, but there has been little movement.
Instead it appears that the Turks are consolidating their hold, building new
bases, camps, and roads, while consistently shelling and bombing the area. As a
result, a total of 42 people were killed in the month. That included 3 Turkish
soldiers and 39 PKK members. This has been going on since March and Turkey
shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.

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About Me

Musings On Iraq was started in 2008 to explain the politics, economics, security, culture and history of Iraq via original articles and interviews. If you wish to contact me personally my email is: motown67@aol.com